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Test trains on the first section of East West Rail between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

Key transport improvements needed to support Government’s priority ‘Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor’ have been set out in England’s Economic Heartland’s submission to the Spending Review call for evidence.

Enhanced connectivity is a key enabler for the region realising its economic growth potential. A core theme of our submission is to build upon and maximise the value of existing investment in the region to unlock an integrated, better connected transport system for both people and goods.

This includes:

Maximising the benefits of East West Rail: ensuring East West Rail is integrated into the wider transport system and delivering the best possible economic, social and environmental outcomes for the region. This includes door-to-door connectivity to stations and installing digital (see story below) and active travel (‘Varsity Way’) infrastructure. There are opportunities to improve rail connectivity further, including delivery of the Northampton-Old Oak Common corridor (including the Aylesbury-Milton Keynes link) and services from Oxford to Bristol (see story below).

Upgrading Ely Junction: Transforming the way goods are transported from Felixstowe to the Midlands and North, removing 100,000 lorries from the road network (see below).

Bus and mass rapid transit funding: Enabling a regional bus network, including integration into East West Rail. Funding to progress MRT schemes within the region.

Progressing interventions in the Oxford-Cambridge Roads Connectivity Study alongside Road Investment Strategy (RIS) and Major Road Network (MRN) priorities.

Appropriate levels of local transport funding for local authorities during the transition to strategic authorities; and to enable EEH to continue its work on behalf of the region.

Over the coming weeks and months EEH will be making the strongest possible case to Government for these priorities to receive funding which allows them to be progressed within the Spending Review period.

Read EEH’s Spending Review submission 

To support the Spending Review, EEH – in collaboration with partners – has produced a number of ‘investment brochures’ which provide the evidence and a strong strategic narrative for several of our priority schemes.

These include:

Global Britain Rail: The case for Northampton-Milton Keynes-Aylesbury-High Wycombe-Old Oak Common rail corridor: By harnessing delivery of East West Rail between Oxford and Milton Keynes, a significant opportunity could be unlocked to deliver a new rail corridor between Northampton, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Old Oak Common that better connects important economic centres and assets and maximises the investment in the Elizabeth Line to (an expanded) Heathrow Airport, Slough and Reading. Realising this new corridor requires incremental upgrades to existing infrastructure and track paths. This includes delivery of the Aylesbury-Milton Keynes link.

The case for reinstating Oxford-Swindon-Bath-Bristol rail services: A ‘quick win’ opportunity has arisen to introduce hourly rail services which will link Oxford to Swindon, Bath and Bristol – a corridor with prominent clusters of knowledge-intensive sectors highlighted within the Industrial Strategy. No capital investment is required. The anticipated operational cost is in the low (single-figure) millions of pounds per year (with the expectation that the service is likely to generate more revenue than it will cost).

Keeping Trade on Track: According to Network Rail, upgrading Ely Junction would facilitate 2,900 extra freight services operating to and from Felixstowe p.a: removing 98,000 HGV journeys; reducing road congestion by 5.6 million hours (making Ely an integrated, rail-based solution to improving road capacity), and cutting carbon emissions by 1.7 million tonnes over 60 years.

England’s Economic Heartland has also produced ‘Connecting Economies’ brochures which highlight priority multimodal schemes of various scale along seven corridors in the region – alongside the economic rationale for improved connectivity.

Luton-Bedfordshire-Corby

Peterborough-Northampton-Oxford

EEH South (Hertfordshire-Bedfordshire-Buckinghamshire)

Northampton-Buckinghamshire-Thames Valley

Swindon-Didcot-Oxford

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

In addition, EEH has worked with Oxfordshire and Worcestershire county councils to produce the ‘Improving the North Cotswold Line’ brochure. Increasing frequency to every 30 minutes between Oxford and Worcester, while also offering new hourly services to Droitwich Spa, Kidderminster and Stourbridge, would be transformational. The combination of East West Rail and an improved North Cotswold Line would significantly improve the UK rail network, enabling journeys from the West Midlands right through to the east of England, within just a single, simple interchange at Oxford. 

England’s Economic Heartland has submitted responses to the Transport Select Committee’s inquiries on ‘Buses Connecting Communities’ and ‘Rail Investment Pipelines: Ending Boom and Bust’.

For the bus inquiry, our submission highlights how the need for a flexible approach to service models such as franchising and enhanced partnerships, and the opportunity for a pan-regional bus network.

For the rail inquiry, our submission highlights the issues caused by uncertainty over infrastructure delivery and its repercussions for local authorities, businesses and the rail sector. Three core examples relevant to our region are given: East West Rail, Ely and HS2.

EEH will be hosting our first Centre of Excellence Guest Speaker masterclass of 2025 virtually on 26 February, 10:30-12:00. Join us for a session focused on accessible transport.

This year our programme is all about A People-First Approach to Transport Strategy & Planning. We’ll be kicking off with an online session highlighting various aspects of accessibility such as inclusivity, accessible design and travel choices – and how these can be considered in planning a transport system that works for all.

We are absolutely delighted to be joined by our guest speakers:

Carrie Playford and Sally Devine from CIHT, who will be discussing their work on designing highways and transport for people with dementia as well as designing for blindness and neurodiversity.

Gordon McCullough, from the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers and National Centre for Accessible Transport, who will be talking about their work tackling the transport accessibility gap
 

If you’d like to join in the discussion, please register for this webinar at https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7e762c8b-78a3-4b88-9a65-e02cb55833ec@7fb976b9-9e28-48e1-8086-1ddabecf82a0

Mayor Dr. Nik Johnson has announced a landmark decision to franchise the region’s bus system, marking the most significant reform in 40 years. This move aims to bring services under greater public control, creating a more reliable, affordable, and passenger-focused network.

The franchising model will allow the Combined Authority to set fares, routes, timetables, and service standards, working with private operators to ensure effective implementation. This approach is expected to improve rural services, reduce congestion, enhance air quality, and make services more accountable to local people.

A major public consultation showed 63% support for franchising, leading to the decision. The first franchised services are expected to launch in late 2027, with ongoing improvements in the interim.

Read more here

Other news of interest from the region includes:

Young person’s card continues to allow 18s and under to ‘get around for a pound’ in Central Bedfordshire and beyond

Combined Authority Partners with Bus Centre of Excellence to Tackle Bus Service Challenges in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough

Dutch-Style Roundabout to Improve Walking and Cycling at Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead

Eco Park will supercharge MK’s sustainability goals

Milton Keynes among top cities for high wages, housing growth and innovation

Voi e-scooters to be available 24/7 in North Northants

All aboard: new passenger charter sets out commitment to improving bus services for West Northamptonshire communities

Construction starts on plan to improve A40 to Witney

Contractors appointed to deliver stage two of Didcot major infrastructure scheme

Hear from EEH Managing Director Naomi Green about the importance of transformative benefits of the new 5G Mobile Private Network being built to enhance passenger connectivity on the East West Rail route between Bicester and Bletchley.

See below for opportunities in the region

Senior Transport Development Officer, Oxfordshire County Council, Closing: 20/02/25

Busway Health and Safety Officer, Cambridgeshire County Council, Closing: 23/02/25

Highways Development Officer, Hertfordshire County Council, Closing: 10/03/25

Senior Highways Officer, Hertfordshire County Council, Closing: 10/03/25

Transport Project Manager, Swindon Borough Council, Closing: 11/03/25

Newsletter produced by England's Economic Heartland sub-national transport body, based at Buckinghamshire Council, Walton Street, Aylesbury. Email businessunit@englandseconomicheartland.com for general enquiries.